Social Studies 20-1: Chapter 7

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Transcript of Social Studies 20-1: Chapter 7

Chapter Issue: "To what extent can the pursuit of internationalism lead to crimes against humanity?" What are crimes against humanity? What do you feel when youlook at these photographs ofthe destruction of Hiroshima? Invade Japan or drop atomic bombs?Were these the only alternatives availableto American leaders? Was there another way WWII could have been ended quickly? Was dropping atomic bombs an appropriate response to Japanese ultranationalism? People's dedication to their nation can help it grow and prosperStrong charismatic leaders can instill feelings of prideHowever, passionate nationalism and strong leaders can also lead to excesses of ultranationalism when one group of people commits crimes against other groups People's dedication to their nation can help it grow and prosperStrong charismatic leaders can instill feelings of prideHowever, passionate nationalism and strong leaders can also lead to excesses of ultranationalism when one group of people commits crimes against other groups Naming the Crimes "In the twentieth century, genocide and mass murders - all crimes against humanity - have killed an estimated 60 million men, women and children - more than were killed in battlefields in all the wars from 1900 to 2000." (Barbara Coloroso, "Extraordinary Evil: A Brief History of Genocide, 2007") Events like the Holocaust and the destruction of Hiroshima sparked many of the countries that belong to the UN to agree on definitions of genocide, crimes against humanity and war crimes. Genocide: refers to the killing of members of a national, ethnic, racial, or religious group; causing serious bodily or mental harm to members of the group; and deliberately inflicting on the group conditions of life calculated to bring about its physical destruction. Crimes against Humanity: refers to widespread or systematic attacks against a civilian population - murder, extermination, enslavement, deportation, imprisonment, torture, rape or sexual slavery, enforced disappearance of persons, and the crime of apartheid War Crimes: refers to wilful killing, torture, or inhumane treatment;wilfully causing great suffering; and intentionally directing attacks against the civilian population or against those who are involved in a humanitarian or peacekeeping mission. The International Criminal CourtA permanent court conceived by the UNIt made specific legal definitions of these crimesIt can both try and judge people accused of "the most serious crimes of international concern" Ultranationalism and Crimes Against Humanity Nationalism Ultranationalism Racism "Hate has a nearly limitless ability to dehumanize its victims, shutting down the most basic human capacity for sympathy and compassion". (Rush W. Dozier Jr., journalist and author, in "Why We Hate, 2002 Racists may take the following steps to "dehumanize" a particular group of people:segregate them from the rest of societydeny their rights as citizenspush their victims to the margins of societyblame them for things that go wrong in a country (scapegoating)destroy their culturedeport them from their homelandmurder them In an ultranationalist state, laws allow actions like these to be carried out as official government policy In ultranationalist states, genocide and crimes against humanity are state-sponsored acts of murder The murderers believe that these acts promote their national interest Auschwitz Concentration Camp